MEMORIAL ON SUNDAY

Paramedic died in crash

The family of Leigh Schroeder says the 28-year-old paramedic living in Meadow Lake “died doing what he loved to do.”

A memorial service is scheduled Sunday in Regina for Schroeder, one of three people killed in a collision between an ambulance and a truck last Friday on Highway 155 south of Beauval.

“We will miss him so, so much,” wrote his brother Ryan in a Facebook post.

Jerome Coulineur, 12, and oneyear-old Kinzey Iron-couillonneur, who were in the truck, also died in the crash.

Schroeder was one of two occupants in the ambulance responding to another collision. The two other occupants of the truck, as well as the other occupant of the ambulance, were treated in hospital for their injuries.

In an obituary published Wednesday, Schroeder’s family said he was settling into the Meadow Lake community where he worked as a first responder, and called it home.

“Leigh died doing what he loved to do — serving others,” the obituary read.

His loved ones remembered him as a devoted son, brother and friend. Schroeder enjoyed camping, working on the family farm, gaming with his brothers and friends, and working on his Dodge truck.

He also served at Katepwa Lake Camp. His family asked that anyone wishing to make donations in his memory make them to the camp.

In a Facebook message to the

Starphoenix, the Katepwa Lake Camp said he was an enormous blessing for them and had been involved there in many ways, as a camper and as a staff member, on the board and as a volunteer.

“We thank God for Leigh’s heart for camp ministry and grieve this loss with his many, many friends and family. He will be deeply missed,” the camp’s message read.

The memorial service, scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. at Living Hope Alliance Church in Regina, will be streamed live. A link will be made available on the Speers Funeral Chapel website.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority

issued a media release Wednesday about the memorial service, encouraging uniformed personnel of all services to attend in full order dress with medals.

The Association of Saskatchewan Paramedics offered its condolences to Schroeder’s family, friends and colleagues, and to the families of Jerome and Kinzey.

The association in its condolences said the two children “were also taken from this world too soon.”

The organization, “to honour Leigh’s sacrifice,” created an image on its Facebook page displaying his paramedic registration number — 1546821 — and plan to leave it up until after Sunday’s service.

“We grieve and mourn at your side as we all begin our journey of healing together,” wrote the association’s interim executive director Trevor Lowey, adding a verse from the Bible: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Leigh died doing what he loved to do — serving others.